Ruff

Pronunciation: /rʌf/

Definitions of ruff

noun a projecting collar or frill on the neck of a bird or other animal

Example Sentences

A1 The dog had a fluffy ruff around its neck.

A2 She sewed a lace ruff onto the collar of her dress.

B1 The Elizabethan gentleman wore a ruff around his neck.

B2 The judge's ruff added a touch of elegance to his robes.

C1 The elaborate ruff worn by the queen was a symbol of her wealth and power.

C2 The intricately embroidered ruff was a masterpiece of craftsmanship.

Examples of ruff in a Sentence

formal The dog's ruff was fluffy and well-groomed.

informal My dog's ruff gets all messy when he plays outside.

slang Check out that dog with the crazy ruff!

figurative The ruff of clouds in the sky indicated an approaching storm.

Grammatical Forms of ruff

• past tense: ruffed
• plural: ruffs
• comparative: rougher
• superlative: roughest
• present tense: ruffs
• future tense: will ruff
• perfect tense: have ruffed
• continuous tense: is ruffing
• singular: ruff
• positive degree: ruff
• infinitive: to ruff
• gerund: ruffing
• participle: ruffed

Origin and Evolution of ruff

First Known Use: 1300 year

Language of Origin: Middle Dutch

Story behind the word: The word 'ruff' originated from Middle Dutch 'roffel' meaning a roll of cloth or frill.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'ruff' evolved to refer to a distinctive collar worn in the 16th and 17th centuries, typically made of lace or linen and worn by both men and women as a fashion statement. Today, 'ruff' is rarely used in its original sense and is more commonly associated with the collar worn by certain bird species or the sound made by a dog.